This Rustic Tomato Onion Galette Is Seriously Healthy

How to make this tart part of a healthy Mediterranean diet.

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The Mediterranean diet may readily bring to mind countries like Italy, Turkey, and Morocco, but many people forget that France is included in this region as well! The southern coast of France is heavily influenced by Mediterranean flavors and uses traditional heart-healthy ingredients, but with a French twist.

This Tomato Onion Galette is the perfect example of a French take on the Mediterranean diet. A galette is a rustic, free-form tart that can be made either sweet or savory. It is best described as a cross between a pizza and a pastry. Galettes are common in France (as is anything with pie dough; sigh!), and the tomato-onion filling in this galette recipe gives it the perfect Mediterranean touch.

In this episode of To Eat With Love, our Mediterranean diet cooking show, nutritionist Fiorella DiCarlo, RD, CDN, shows how to make a healthy version of the filling for this French galette recipe, with sauteed onions and tomato roasted with olive oil, salt, and garlic. Roasting the tomatoes gives them a more succulent, less acidic flavor and makes lycopene easier for the body to use.

For the dough, you can essentially use any pie dough, but it’s best to stick to one made from complex carbs instead of refined, white flour. Many stores sell prepared whole-wheat pie doughs, or you could make your own. You can also make galette dough with buckwheat flour or a gluten-free blend. (And TBH, some people just use frozen puff pastry. It’s less authentic, but it gets the job done.)

When you fold up the galette, don’t worry too much about technique. Simply fold the edges of the crust inward. It doesn’t need to be perfectly round (in fact, it might have more of an octagon shape). Some bakers will crimp the edges of the galette with a fork, but this is totally optional.

This vegetarian galette makes a great brunch recipe, and it is a low-stress—yet seriously impressive—option for a busy host, thanks to its rustic, no-frills form.

Difficulty: Easy

Ingredients

1 (13.8-ounce) can refrigerated pizza crust dough

2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

5 cloves garlic, unpeeled

1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil

1 tablespoon red wine vinegar

4 ounces crumbled goat cheese

12 small fresh plum tomatoes

1/4 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon water plus 1 tablespoon, divided

5 cups sliced red onions (about 1 1/2 pounds)

2 teaspoons chopped fresh thyme, divded

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 375°F.
2. To prepare tomato layer: Cut tomatoes in half lengthwise. Place cut-side up on a large, rimmed baking sheet. Drizzle with 2 tablespoons olive oil and 1/4 teaspoon salt. Place garlic cloves on a square of foil and sprinkle with 1 teaspoon water. Wrap into a package and place on the baking sheet. Roast until the tomatoes are very soft and beginning to brown on the bottom, 1 1/4 to 1 1/2 hours.
3. To prepare onion layer: Meanwhile, heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a large skillet over high heat. Add onions and 1/2 teaspoon salt and cook, stirring, until just starting to lightly brown, 3 to 5 minutes. Reduce the heat to medium-low, cover and cook, stirring occasionally, until very soft, 30 to 35 minutes. Stir in raisins, vinegar and 1 teaspoon thyme.
4. Unwrap garlic; when cool enough to handle, squeeze out of the skins into a small bowl. Add 1 tablespoon water and mash together into a smooth paste.
5. Increase oven temperature to 400°F.
6. To roll out pastry: Place a large sheet of parchment on a work surface and dust it with flour. Place the pastry disk in the center and lightly dust with flour. Roll out into a 15-inch circle. The pastry may crack a bit as you roll it, so go slowly and just nudge the cracked parts back together, pressing lightly. Dust with more flour as needed and keep the circle as even as you can, but don't worry about rough edges.
7. To assemble & bake: Spread the onion mixture over the pastry, leaving a 2-inch border around the edge. Spread the garlic paste over the onions. Place the tomatoes, cut-side up, on top of the onions in a circular pattern. Scatter cheese over the tomatoes and sprinkle with the remaining 1 teaspoon thyme.
8. Use the parchment paper to lift the edges of the pastry and fold loosely over the filling in 2- or 3-inch sections at a time. The pastry may crack as you lift and fold it, but that's fine. Lift the galette on the parchment and transfer it, parchment and all, onto a baking sheet. Trim off any overhanging parchment.
9. Bake the galette until the filling is bubbling hot in the center and the pastry is golden brown, 30 to 35 minutes.
10. Let cool at least 15 minutes on the baking sheet. Lift parchment and galette onto a serving platter. Use a spatula to very slightly lift the galette so you can slide the parchment out. Serve the galette hot, warm or at room temperature.